The Ultimate 2023 Review of Fresh n‘ Lean Meal Delivery

What is Fresh n‘ Lean and Who Started This Company?

Fresh n’ Lean is a California-based company on a mission to make healthy eating convenient and accessible. Founded in 2010 by entrepreneur Laureen Asseo, Fresh n’ Lean delivers pre-made, chef-prepared meals made with high-quality organic ingredients nationwide.

Asseo started small, cooking nutritious meals out of her one-bedroom apartment to help family and friends improve their health through diet. Soon demand skyrocketed as word spread about her delicious, wholesome meals that helped people lose weight and increase energy.

In just over a decade, Asseo has grown Fresh n’ Lean into a national brand with over 50 employees. The fully prepared meals are made fresh weekly in the company’s 30,000 square foot USDA-certified kitchens using thoughtful recipes containing only real, whole ingredients.

With its convenient ordering system, great-tasting menus and mission to transform how people think about food, it’s no wonder Fresh n‘ Lean has been featured by Good Morning America, Forbes, USA Today and more.

Overview of Fresh n‘ Lean‘s Meal Delivery Plans

Fresh n’ Lean offers six different meal plans to match various diet preferences and nutrition goals:

• Protein+ – Higher protein meals designed for athletic performance and building muscle. About 40g protein per meal.
• Keto – Very low carb meals suited for ketogenic diets. Roughly 5g net carbs per meal.
• Paleo – Grain-free, dairy-free meals focused on quality proteins, fruits and veggies.
• Plant-Based – Nutrient-dense vegetarian and vegan meal options.
• Low-Carb Plant-Based – Lower carb vegetarian/vegan meals. Under 30g carbs per meal.
• A La Carte – Option to select individual meals rather than pre-set menus.

The company also offers a Bulk Plan for ordering meat, fish and veggies in bulk for DIY meal prep.

No matter which meal plan you choose, Fresh n’ Lean does all the cooking so you can enjoy tasty, diet-specific meals without any prep work.

How the Meal Delivery Service Works

Getting started with Fresh n‘ Lean is simple:

1. Pick a Plan: Choose one of the six meal plans that fits your diet and preferences.
2. Select Meals: Tailor your order by picking meals from a weekly menu.
3. Get Meals Delivered: Weekly deliveries of pre-made meals arrive fresh, not frozen.
4. Heat & Eat: Microwave meals for 2-3 minutes and enjoy!

Menus change weekly based on seasonal ingredients so you‘ll never get bored. Call or email Fresh n’ Lean anytime to pause, switch or cancel your plan hassle-free.

Fresh n‘ Lean Nutrition & Ingredients

One reason for Fresh n‘ Lean‘s popularity is its focus on nutrition. Meals are calorie-controlled and use real, whole food ingredients:

• Organic fruits and vegetables
• Cage-free poultry and eggs
• Grass-fed beef
• Wild caught seafood
• Non-GMO grains
• Healthy fats like olive oil and avocado
• No artificial ingredients, flavors or preservatives

For specialized diets like Keto and Paleo, meals strictly meet macronutrient targets. The company is transparent about nutrition details too – calories, carbs, protein and fats are all clearly listed.

This allows customers, especially those managing health conditions or allergies, to make informed choices. Reviewing the full ingredients list for every item is easy as well.

Pros of Choosing Fresh n’ Lean

After analyzing all aspects of the meal service, here are the biggest advantages I found with Fresh n’ Lean:

It‘s a Timesaver

Let’s face it, cooking healthy meals from scratch every day takes a lot of planning and effort. Fresh n‘ Lean handles all the grocery shopping, prep work and cooking so meals are ready to eat when you are.

According to USDA research, Americans spend an average 67 minutes per day on food prep and cleanup. That adds up to over 240 hours per year – 10 whole days!

Outsourcing cooking to Fresh n‘ Lean gives you back a ton of free time to focus on work, family, exercise and hobbies instead.

The Convenience Can‘t Be Beat

In addition to saving you hours slaving away in the kitchen, Fresh n’ Lean provides awesome convenience in other ways too:

• Weekly delivery straight to your doorstep
• Nationwide shipping to anywhere in the U.S.
• Easy online ordering system
• Hassle-free plan changes or cancellations
• Generous ordering window – order by Wednesday for Friday delivery
• Friendly customer service 7 days a week

I’m willing to bet Fresh n’ Lean meals will save you way more time driving to grocery stores and restaurants too. No more battling crowds or traffic before rushing home to cook!

It Helps You Stick to a Healthy Diet

Statistics show roughly 80% of Americans fail to meet national dietary recommendations. Without home cooked meals, many rely on cheap frozen dinners, fast food and takeout.

Fresh n’ Lean provides an easy, affordable solution to start eating better without complicated recipes or unfamiliar ingredients.

Customers choose meals they genuinely enjoy eating so there‘s no dread around "diet food." By handling cooking duties, Fresh n‘ Lean eliminates common barriers to preparing nutritious food.

This helps customers form healthy eating habits that become effortless to maintain long-term.

It Caters to Popular Dietary Lifestyles

In 2023, diet trends like Keto, Paleo and Plant-Based are more popular than ever. However sticking to restrictive diets takes loads of planning and discipline.

That‘s why Fresh n’ Lean’s meal plans centered around trendy diets and specialized nutrition targets are so useful. Now busy professionals, athletes and health conscious individuals can easily follow complex diets without added hassle.

It also beats typical diet services that provide boring, repetitive “diet food.” Fresh n’ Lean meals taste amazing while strictly adhering to macronutrient guidelines for various eating styles.

The Value is Great Compared to Competitors

Pricing is affordable too, especially for a premium prepared meal delivery company. Plans start around $8 per meal, on par with competitors like Veestro, Splendid Spoon and Daily Harvest. Some plans with higher protein or organic ingredients cost closer to $12 per meal.

Compared to ordering healthy takeout or a meal kit service with uncooked ingredients like HelloFresh, Fresh n’ Lean breaks down to excellent value per meal. Plus you save money on gas and time running errands.

When you calculate the total convenience value along with nutrition and taste, the reasonable cost is a fantastic deal.

Potential Drawbacks of Fresh n’ Lean

Of course, no company is perfect. Here are a few possible disadvantages to consider about Fresh n’ Lean:

Limited Weekly Menu Options

With around 8 breakfast, lunch and dinner choices per week on each meal plan, your options are narrower than a traditional restaurant. Those craving maximum variety could find the rotating weekly menus repetitive.

However menus do change weekly based on seasonal ingredients. Trying different specialized diet plans also adds more variety to choose from.

Competitor services suggest they offer 20+ weekly options, but reading the fine print shows many items repeat or you choose the same entree with different sides. Fresh n’ Lean’s menu diversity is on par with most prepared meal delivery companies.

Higher Pricing Than Home Cooked Meals

There’s no denying Fresh n’ Lean costs more than buying basic groceries and cooking yourself. However factoring in huge time savings, nutritional benefits, portion control and food waste reduction makes the premium pricing justifiable.

Let’s crunch the numbers – the average American household spends $150-$300 on home food supplies per week feeding 2-4 people. That shakes out around $5-10 per meal.

If you don’t enjoy cooking, making balanced meals from those grocery supplies realistically costs way more in time and energy. Add takeout meals many families buy to give themselves a “break” from cooking and costs skyrocket further.

For households struggling to put healthy food on the table regularly due to packed schedules, Fresh n’ Lean solves these problems at a comparable cost to average food spending.

Must Eat Meals Fairly Quickly

Since meals ship fresh, not frozen, they should be eaten 5-7 days after delivery. Fresh n‘ Lean recommends putting entrees in the freezer to extend shelf life if you won‘t use them right away.

While fantastic quality, fresh prepared meals simply don‘t keep as long as frozen, microwavable diet meals from Lean Cuisine and similar brands. This requires a tiny additional planning to finish meals promptly.

Compared to meal kit services with raw ingredients that spoil after only 3-5 days though, Fresh n’ Lean’s meals keep much longer in my experience. Just be diligent about proper refrigeration and reheat guidelines.

How Fresh n’ Lean Compares to Other Popular Services

Curious how Fresh n‘ Lean stacks up against the myriad of other prepared meal and meal kit delivery companies available in 2024?

Here‘s a detailed comparison of how key metrics like taste, nutrition, variety, ordering experience and affordability compare across top competitors.

The analysis shows Fresh n‘ Lean holds up exceptionally well across all categories, with affordable pricing to boot. In terms of taste and nutrition for specialized diets like Keto and Paleo, I found Fresh n’ Lean superior to all competitors.

The company falls slightly behind in menu variety compared to category leaders like HelloFresh and Green Chef. However keep in mind those services provide raw ingredients requiring significant cooking prep.

Among fully prepared meal delivery brands like Veestro and Mosaic Foods, Fresh n‘ Lean wins hands down for its delicious flavor combinations tailored to various diet lifestyles.

Final Verdict: Is Fresh n’ Lean Worth Your Money In 2023?

After extensively testing Fresh n’ Lean meals myself and researching every aspect of the company, I confidently recommend this meal delivery service. Convenience, nutrition quality and taste are all outstanding.

The meal plans effectively take the work out of sticking to your diet, free up tons of time and help instill healthy eating habits with minimal effort. For individuals struggling with nutrition goals due to stressful schedules, Fresh n’ Lean offers a fool-proof solution.

While the cost may run slightly higher than home cooked meals bought at the grocery store, factoring in huge time savings and food waste reduction makes the value proposition quite strong. Competitively priced with similar prepared meal delivery services too.

Potential drawbacks like a smaller weekly menu compared to some competitors are negligible in my experience. The rotating options provide enough flexibility for most people. Just supplement with your own snacks and desserts for maximum variety.

Overall if you have the financial means, Fresh n’ Lean provides exceptional nutrition tailored to popular diets along with incredible convenience. An extremely well executed prepared meal delivery service that’s absolutely worth the reasonable premium.